Tonight during the Weather Channel's prime time programming, Mike Bettis harassed the National Weather Service for continuing to push the use of weather radios (even though they have proven to still be the best way to deliver warnings and watches to the public who use them, especially during the overnight hours), and instead chastised them because they don't send text messages to cell phones.
Here is the problem with that, in case this moron missed that memo, the warnings cannot be sent efficiently via text messages. A warning must contain the type, the location, the time table, the duration, and other important information including possible locations in the path of the storm and reminders as to what to do to protect yourself.
Last time I checked, most people send text messages in abbreviated fashion because they can't get lengthy or don't care to read lengthy text messages. In addition, if a person is busy, text messages go unread for a while which is not wise if a tornado warning is being reported.
That second part also suggests that a cell phone call is also out of the question since it would likely go to the person's answering machine or in box at least for a few minutes (a few minutes that can mean the difference between life and death.)
Yes, New York was struck by a tornado. A lot of people were caught off guard. That's not the fault of the NWS, that's the fault of the state of New York for not doing more to educate their residents on the very real dangers that severe weather poses for their state even if it is less often than say the Midwest or Southeast.
The folks in those areas still have it right--sirens, weather radios, broadcast radio, television, and even the internet are still the best options to receive up to date weather warnings. Around here, when a tornado watch is issued, you can bet that every network will, at least, run the watch on screen every 15 minutes or so, and every radio will broadcast a reminder between commercial breaks.
In the event of a warning, networks will drop programming, radios will run the EBS (believe it or not, they still use it), and sirens in local communities will sound and can be heard for miles. I can assure Mr. Bettis that the sounds we equate to IMMINENT DEATH (the sound of an air ride siren) will get our attention much better than the quirky little ring tone we have come to hear dozens of times a day and will often ignore if we are busy.
Mike, do everyone a favor and sit there being Stephanie Abrams lap dog and stop trying to tell the National Weather Service how to do their job when they are doing it (at least that portion) just fine without your two cents (and we certainly don't need you discrediting weather radios in an unfair fashion.)